A Birthday Surprise
by xSteleAliniax
Summary: Complete! Natsu gives Lucy a surprise for her birthday that she will never forget! (Nalu fluff! Four-shot)
1. Part 1: Natsu

**A Birthday Surprise**

 **Chapter One: Natsu**

 **By: xSteleAliniax**

 **Beta'd By: _SamGreg_**

* * *

 _June 29th, x793_

Natsu, Mirajane, and Levy were all huddled around a table at the Fairy Tail guild hall, talking in hushed voices so that none of the other members would eavesdrop. Well, except for the Dragon Slayers, who were starting to become the majority after all the new additions to the guild. Thankfully, though, all of them except for a stone-faced Laxus had since gone home for the night. And Natsu didn't think Laxus would care enough to ruin his plans. He probably had headphones in and was listening to whatever psycho-crap that idiot listened to.

They were all tossing around ideas for a birthday surprise for Lucy. She and Natsu had started openly dating only three short months ago, but they had been best friends long before that. However, Natsu had never gone out of his way for her birthday. Sure, he'd always at least gotten her s _omething_ , like one year he gave her this bracelet, handwoven and made out of colorful string of golden yellow and emerald green. From it hung a tiny silver disk inscribed with her name. She had lit up so brightly his heart nearly melted. She never took it off.

That was two years ago, and she still wore that bracelet. It had only cost him 200 jewel, and the name engravement had come free with purchase with no more than five letters; it wasn't like he'd spent a lot of money on it. Then again, those seemed to be the gifts Lucy liked the most. He remembered her saying something about "it's the thought that counts," but he wasn't sure what that meant.

Last year he had nearly forgotten about her birthday and had to hurriedly find something for her. He'd ended up stumbling across a stuffed toy dragon with green eyes and red fur and shiny golden wings. Lucy had laughed for at least five minutes when he presented her with the gift. Natsu felt a pang in his chest at her laughter, like she was laughing at his gift. Seeing his pouting expression, Lucy had stopped laughing and wrapped an arm around his back in a tight hug, laying her head against his chest.

"I love it," she'd whispered, hugging him with one hand and the dragon with the other.

He still remembered how warm she felt in his arms that day, and how much he wished she would never let go. It wasn't until that moment that he began to realize his true feelings toward her. But since he didn't know if she felt the same way back, he'd decided not to say anything.

Natsu spent the next nine months working up the courage to ask her out. He could still remember all the times he'd _tried_ asking her out, and failed miserably. Either he'd chickened out at the last second and said something stupid instead, or someone would interrupt him. One time he _did_ manage to get the words out, but the way he'd said them, practically shouting at her, green eyes wild, she'd apparently thought he was joking with her because she stared at him for a long moment before cracking up with insane laughter.

When he finally plucked up the courage to ask her out a second time, he'd tried to do it right. He needed her to know that he was serious. He made sure no one else would be around, and he bought a single yellow rose, because yellow was her color and Lucy liked simple things, so he knew better than to go and buy a whole bouquet. Even though he would have gladly bought the whole store out for her if it meant that she'd say yes to his question.

That was three months ago, and the two had been nearly inseparable ever since. So Natsu knew he had to make this birthday extra special. He wanted her to know that he truly cared about her, and wanted her to feel special. Because she was more than just his girlfriend of three months, she was his Luce!

His light in the darkness.

His best friend.

 _Forever and always._

So, he pulled in some helpers to make her birthday one to remember.

Levy and Mira were all too willing to help him out in this case, though Natsu tried his best to come up with everything on his own and merely ask for opinions and suggestions. So far the planning was going flawlessly, and he hoped that when her birthday rolled around in a few days that he would be able to execute the plan just as flawlessly.

"I guess now the only thing you have to worry about is what you're going to wear," Levy commented. Her eyes were narrowed in thought, index finger tapping lightly on her chin as her head rested in the palm of her left hand, elbow on the table in front of her. A piece of paper with all the details of the plan was set out before her, and a blue pen rested in the fingers of her right hand.

Natsu groaned. "Crap. I didn't even think of that!" He banged his head on the table, scrunching the paper of scribbled ideas he had in front of him. Mostly it was all gibberish, and he had terrible penmanship anyway, so Levy had offered to copy everything down for him on a separate sheet. He had started making doodles on his sheet to cover up his terrible chicken scratch.

"You should wear a suit and tie!" Mira suggested.

"Won't that be a little suspicious if he shows up at her door wearing a tux?" Levy asked. Her eyes never left the page in front of her. They scanned up and down the sheet as if looking for some flaw. Natsu wanted to be offended that she apparently wasn't confident with his carefully laid out plan, but he was too appreciative that she was willing to not only double check his plan, but also triple and quadruple and whatever came after that, too.

"But he'd look so handsome!" Mira shot him a huge grin that had him rolling his eyes. Leave it to Mira to be over the top about everything even slightly romantic. He was starting to regret asking for the white-haired beauty's help. She was getting way too involved, Natsu thought. Plus, she seemed to think that his relationship with Lucy was all because of her and her "shipping." Sometimes she would wink at him and say, "Nalu forever!" Whatever that meant...

He was starting to regret asking for the white-haired beauty's help. She was getting way too involved, Natsu thought. Plus, she seemed to think that his relationship with Lucy was all because of her and her "shipping". Sometimes she would wink at him and say, "Nalu forever"! Whatever that meant...

"No tux," Natsu said with finality. Mira pouted but Natsu ignored her, laying his head in his hand and closing his eyes to think better. All the bright lights in the guild were giving him a headache today. He couldn't think! Plus, all the members milling about at this late hour were being extremely loud. Cana and a few others had gotten into some drinking game around nine, and were still going more than two hours later, getting more and more rambunctious as the night wore on.

It was getting close to midnight now, and all this thinking was leaving Natsu's brain in a constant state of throbbing. He'd never used his brain so much before in his life.

"Are you okay, Natsu?" Levy asked in concern, watching him wince in pain as a particularly loud sound erupted from Cana's group.

"Yeah. It's just loud in here."

"Are they giving you a headache?" Mira asked with a slight frown.

"A big one." He groaned, holding the sides of his head between his hands. _Geez_ , were they ever going to shut up over there?!

"Don't worry, I'll ask them to quiet down a bit!" Mira chirped.

Natsu peeked up from where his hands covered his eyes and raised an eyebrow at the woman. However, she already had her back to him as she skipped over to the boisterous group. Levy turned and watched as well, forgetting about her intense inspection for a moment.

"Hello!" Mira chirped in her high, girly voice.

Natsu snorted a laugh. _Like_ that's _going to help any, Mira._

However, a moment later, Mira transformed into one of her She-Devil forms and floated slightly above their table. All the drinking members gaped up at her with expressions of horror, too terrified to say or do anything.

Natsu smirked, waiting to see what she did next and hoping she would start a brawl with them.

Levy shook her head and turned back to her work.

"YOU ALL WILL LEAVE THIS PLACE AT ONCE!" She bellowed in her most terrifying She-Devil voice.

Natsu leaned forward in his chair so he could watch their reactions. They all jumped up simultaneously and ran out the door, leaving a cloud of dust in their path.

Mira transformed back and walked casually back to their table, sitting down across from them as if nothing at all had just happened.

Natsu burst out laughing. "That was _awesome_!" he cried, tears springing to his eyes from laughing so hard.

Mira giggled in response.

"Was that really necessary?" Levy asked in disapproval.

"They quieted down, didn't they?" Mira said with a shrug.

"More like ran away in terror," Levy muttered.

Mira shrugged, unconcerned, "Anyway, where were we?" The transformation mage asked, glancing between Natsu and Levy.

"My outfit!" Natsu exclaimed in defeat, like he'd already given up hope for this particular topic. What'd he know about clothes anyway?

"That's right!" Mira clapped her hands together in front of her and then laced her fingers together. Her brilliant blue eyes narrowed in concentration. "Hmm. Now, what would Lucy like...?"

Eugh. He had to impress her with his clothes, too? Why were women so difficult to please?! He banged his head again and sighed heavily.

"Don't worry, Natsu. We'll figure out something."

Levy's reassuring voice helped stave away some of the anxiety starting to bubble up inside of him. He wanted this day to be special for Lucy. He wanted her to remember this moment, to cherish it in her heart, for a long time. But it was all just so damned hard! And he was afraid that he was going to mess things up like he always did. And what if he screwed up so badly that Lucy didn't even want to be his girlfriend anymore? He'd rather die than lose her.

No, he would make sure nothing bad happened. It would all work out. He was sure of it.

...

 _June 30, x793_

Natsu, Levy, and _Gray_ of all freaking people, were walking through one of Magnolia's most popular clothing stores. It was also one of the most _expensive_ places to shop, Natsu had said rather grudgingly several times so far, but he'd gone along with it anyway. He wouldn't be cheap for once, since this was Lucy's special day he was planning for. And he really hoped she appreciated it because he didn't think his brain, or his wallet for that matter, could take another special occasion like this.

"How about this one, Natsu?" Levy held up a light blue shirt with darker blue cube shapes around the bottom.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Hell no. That shirt reminds me too much of Ice Freak." Natsu shuddered as if just looking at the shirt made him ill.

"Hey, watch it, Pyro!" Gray snapped back at him, clearly offended at the gibe. "I'm here for _you_ , you know."

"Well, then help me out here!" Natsu exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I have no idea what Luce would like." Now he pouted dramatically, and Levy giggled. Gray rolled his eyes and turned to another rack.

"Girls are impossible to please, man." Gray said as he pushed aside various shirts.

"Hey!" Levy exclaimed in offense.

Gray continued like she hadn't said anything. "You just need to pick something that _you_ like. She'll either love it, or hate it. There's no way to know for sure."

"Gee, thanks." Natsu deadpanned. "That's _so_ helpful."

Gray shrugged and kept looking.

Natsu blew out an annoyed breath and turned to finish looking through his own rack.

"You sure Luce won't drop by?" Natsu asked Levy without turning to her. He was afraid that Lucy would show up at the mall and bust him. He didn't want her to see what he chose for their upcoming date until that very day. He wanted to keep everything a surprise, which was why he hadn't included Happy in any of his plans. He may have been Natsu's best friend, but he was the worst at keeping a secret.

"I'm sure," Levy replied confidently. "She said she's going to be pretty busy working on her novel all day."

"What happens if she gets bored and decides to come to the mall to chill?" Gray asked.

Levy smiled, unconcerned in the least. "I told her if she got bored with writing that she better call me so we can hang out. So, there's absolutely no chance of her showing up unexpectedly." Levy shot Natsu a thumbs up. "I've got your back."

He smiled back before returning to the task at hand.

Well, Gray's "advice" had given him little to go on, so he hoped something would just sort of pop out at him. If he saw something he really liked, he'd get that. If Lucy didn't like it, he could always just take the shirt off.

 _Wait, what?_

"This one would look good on you, Natsu!" Levy held out a turquoise colored t-shirt with a navy Hurley symbol in the center. Gray snatched it from her outstretched hand.

"Nah," he said, tucking the shirt under his arm. "Blue isn't Flame Brain's color." Then he pulled out a black shirt with a white bomb in the center. An orange spark engulfed the string of the bomb like it was only seconds from exploding. He held it out to Natsu with a smirk. "This is more your style, I think. Charred black and destructive."

"Very funny, Frostbite," Natsu grumbled, ignoring the proffered shirt. Gray shrugged and slid the shirt back on the rack. Natsu didn't mention that he already had that shirt in his closet at home.

When he turned back to the rack he was still searching through, he spotted it: the perfect shirt. He plucked it from the metal bar and held it up for a moment before flipping it around for the others to see.

Levy gave him a huge grin. "Yes! That's the one, Natsu!"

Natsu turned to Gray for his opinion, raising an eyebrow as if to ask, "is this good?"

"I think that'll make Lucy happy." He said after a long moment, though his tone was reluctant, like he didn't want to say it out loud. Natsu grinned.

"Yeah! I'm fired up now!"

...

 _July 1, x793_

Today was the day, and Natsu was scared out of his mind. He had never gone to such lengths before for one person. He had put a lot of thought and effort into this day, and he would be damned if he didn't pull it off perfectly. Still, the nerves were really getting to him. And it didn't help that Mira kept telling him he looked like an anxious groom on his wedding day, and " _oh how cute will the two of you look on that day_!"

That was earlier in the morning. Now, it was around nine o'clock, and only an hour left until his plan would go into action. He had just finished taking a quick shower, and was now attempting to make his hair stay flat. It wasn't happening, at all. He gave up and started to walk a hole in the carpet as he paced anxiously. What was he going to do?! He was an idiot. This plan would never go as he wanted it to. He always screwed things up!

"Gah!" He slammed a fist into the wall, making a baseball sized hole there. He didn't have time to care just then. He was getting too worked up, now!

"What's going on?" Happy flew into the room with half-closed lids, looking like he'd just rolled out of bed.

"Sorry, buddy," Natsu said, realizing that his fist through the wall must have woken him. "I'm just nervous."

"About the surprise you won't tell me anything about?" Happy asked, a little bitterly.

Natsu flashed him an apologetic look. "Yeah... sorry about that, too. But you know you would have told!"

The little blue cat opened his mouth to argue, but then visibly deflated and floated down to rest on the arm of the sofa.

"Yeah, you're right." He admitted. "But you'll tell me all about it later, right?" His expression turned hopeful.

Natsu smiled back. "Of course, little buddy!" He patted his friend on the head. "Now, I have to finish getting ready or I'm going to be late!"

"Good luck!" Happy called as Natsu hurried back into the bedroom.

He threw on the rest of his clothes, made sure to tie his shoes so he wouldn't go and trip on the laces like he had done the day before, and then went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He scrubbed at them twice for good measure, inspected them for any flaws, and then gargled some mouthwash. With nothing left to do to prepare, Natsu headed out to the meeting spot.

* * *

 _Edited: 3/25/17_


	2. Part 2: Lucy

**A/N: Part 2 is here! Enjoy!**

* * *

 _June 29, x793: Lucy_

Lucy sat neck deep in a hot bath. Hot tears spilled from her eyes and plopped into the water at her neck with tiny plinking sounds. Her birthday was quickly approaching, and while this would usually make someone elated, it just reminded Lucy of all the birthdays she had been alone. Her mother was dead. Now her father was too. Not that he'd remembered her birthday when he was alive, but the fact that he was no longer here still saddened her. And to think, the whole time she had been on Tenrou Island, her father had been sending her gifts and letters, even though he had no way of knowing if she was even still alive, or if she'd ever come back. He had tried to make amends with her once, and she'd sent him away out of rage and hurt. Now it was too late.

Lucy stayed there, crying out all of her tears until the water became fridgid and she started to shiver. She drained the tub, then stood up to wrap a towel around herself before stepping out of her bath and onto the plush white rug she kept there. She stood there for a moment, unwiling to go out into her bedroom, just in case her idiot boyfriend decided to stop by unannounced. He STILL did that, maybe even more so since they'd started dating. He was there so often it was almost like he lived there, too. But in the last few days he had been less present in her apartment, making her feel increasingly lonely. Which was weird, since she definitelly did NOT want him just dropping by. Or crawling into her bed at night. Or waking up to the smell of eggs and toast...

She finally braved her bedroom, opening the bathroom door just a crack so she could peek through. Not that she could be secretive with a dragon slayer for a boyfriend. The coast looked clear, however, so she pushed the door open wider and stepped into the room. It was quiet, eerily so. The wind outside seemed to crash against all her windows with the force of a hurricane. Or maybe she was just imagining things. She wasn't used to it being so quiet around here.

"I know, I'll put on some music." She walked over to her music lacryma, still clad in just her bath towel, and turned it on. _Fix You_ by Coldplay began to play and Lucy groaned loudly as if in pain. "This has to be the most depressing song ever." She set the song on repeat. "But it fits my mood perfectly." She grumbled, plopping onto her back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and let the familiar lyrics start to wrap around her.

" _And the tears come streaming down your face... When you lose something you can't replace... When you love someone, but it goes to waste... Could it be worse?_ "

"Story of my life." Lucy sniffled as new sobs began to wrap around her. This song spoke to her so much, and in that moment it was bringing back all the memories of a time when she still had both of her parents in her life. Now she had no one.

" _Lights will guide you home... And ignite your bones.._."

She sat up straight. No, that wasn't completely true, was it? _Ignite your bones..._ Yes. She did still have someone. _Natsu_. Her flame in the dark. Just then she desperately wished that he would burst in through her window so she could feel his warm arms wrap her up in an embrace. She thought about their relationship as the song pregressed, wondering just where they were headed.

" _High up above and down below... When you're too in love to let it go_..."

She stiffened. _Too in love to let it go.._. Something flluttered in her chest at those words. But, no. She couldn't possibly. They had only been together for three months! Well, they had been DATING for three months, but they had been best friends long before that. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. _Love_... Did she LOVE Natsu? She cared about him, and she loved him as a best friend, but was she _IN LOVE_ with him?

 _"Oooh, you looooove him!"_ Happy's words to her, every time he saw them together.

 _"You two are the cutest couple! I can't wait for the wedding!"_ Mirajane, two minutes after they announced that they were officially dating.

" _Love is a powerful thing. Do not let it go to waste, my child."_ Master Makarov, after their return from Tenrou Island, before Natsu and Lucy even got together. She had thought he was talking about love in general, but was it possible that he knew more about her heart than even she did?

"Love," she said aloud, the single word echoing back to her in the empty space of her apartment. "I'm in love with Natsu Dragneel." The confession was both thrilling and terrifying. She was in love; how had she never realized this before? But what if Natsu didn't feel the same way about her? She thought about how distant he'd been this week. She hadn't even seen him except at the guild for nearly six days.

She sighed and lay back down as the song reached the bridge.

" _Tears stream down your face... When you lose something you cannot replace._.." Lucy glared at the ceiling.

"Just what are you trying to say to me, Chris Martin?" She grumbled. She turned onto her right side and saw the red dragon plush staring back at her. She plucked it from its spot by her pillow and clutched it against her chest, sobbing into its soft, red fur. She didn't want to lose Natsu. He was such a constant part in her life, she couldn't bear to even think of what would happen if he was just suddenly gone.

Lucy lie there, wrapped in a towel and clutching a red dragon to her chest while listening to Coldplay, until she finally cried herself to sleep.

* * *

 _June 30, x793: Lucy_

Brilliant rays of sunlight crept along the carpet of Lucy's bedroom. Since she had no shades on her windows, which Natsu so loudly complained about every morning he woke up there, the sun was already bright, illuminating the small space. Lucy was used to this, though, and normally the sun wasn't much of an intrusion on her sleep, usually it was an annoyed dragon slayer that woke her. But today, it was the cold that eventually pulled her from her restless slumber.

Lucy gave a shiver, wondering why she was so chilled when it was the dead of summer. Then she remembered: she was still naked! The towel she had had wrapped around her the night before was now in a heap on the floor. Lucy lie there completely exposed. She sat up and yanked at the blanket to cover herself, cheeks heating as her gaze shot anxiously around the room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw nothing suspicious. She peeked back over at her window. The sun shone in brightly, and she could see the light shimmering off of the nearby river canal. She clutched the blanket tighter to her chest.

"Lucy, you idiot!"

She had never thought that not having shades would be a problem. _Until she woke up naked this morning_... She might have to finally invest in some curtains.

When she was certain that no one was riding down the river just then, Lucy jumped from bed, still clutching the blanket around her, and dashed over to her dresser to find some clothes. She pulled on the first outfit she found, a pair of mint green shorts, and a black shirt with flowing sleeves and a mint green floral pattern. She grabbed a pair of black sandals, and pulled her hair into a half side pony tail. Once she was done with this, she went back out into her bedroom in search of her phone. She found it, and quickly dialed a familiar number.

"Hey, Lu!" Levy answered on the first ring, like she'd been waiting for her call. It almost made Lucy smile.

"Hey, Levy." Lucy tried to make her voice sound cheerful, but even she could tell that it lacked it's normal brightness. Levy picked up on the false note in her tone right away.

"What's up, Lu? You sound upset." Levy's voice radiated concern for her friend.

"It's nothing," Lucy lied. She didn't want to drag her friend into her boyfriend drama. It was probably nothing anyway. She was just being paranoid. "I was just wondering, have you by chance... Seen Natsu the last few days?" She felt stupid for even asking this question. But she had to know if Levy knew something she didn't.

There was hesitation on the other line, and then Levy said in a careful tone. "... I have. Once or twice."

"Really?" Lucy grew hopeful. "Did he say anything?"

"About what, Lucy?" Levy asked, still using that careful tone, though Lucy was too preoccupied with this news to notice.

"About me!" She exclaimed. "Or, us, I guess. I haven't seen him all week!"

"I'm sure he'll show up soon, Lu!" Levy said as cheerfully as she could, avoiding Lucy's question. "You know he can't stay away from you for long."

"Yeah, I guess." Lucy sulked. That information was not helpful in the least.

"What are you up to today, Lucy?" Levy asked when the silence stretched on too long.

"Huh? Oh, I'm just going to stay home today. I'll probably be busy trying to finish my novel all day." In truth, Lucy just didn't have the energy to go to the guild, or deal with her guild mates who knew nothing of her emotional drama.

"Well, if you get bored be sure to call me and we'll hang out, okay?" Levy said. "Promise?"

Lucy actually smiled. "Sure, Levy. I promise."

The two disconnected, and Lucy was alone once again. She sighed and laid her head on the desk in front of her. Her aforementioned novel sat on the desk to her right. It would most likely remain untouched for the rest of the day. She almost wished that she had just told Levy to come over and hang out with her so she wouldn't be lonely. But she knew she wouldn't make for very good company right now. And besides, she and Mirajane had already promised to stop by the next morning to make her a special birthday breakfast. She would see her friend tomorrow.

With nothing else to do, Lucy heaved a sigh and slumped over to her bookshelf, picking out a book at random before plopping into a spot on her sofa. She cracked the book open to the first page and began to read.

About a third of the way through the book, Lucy grew restless. She snapped it shut, not even bothering to place a bookmark to hold her place, and dropped it onto the coffee table in front of her. She stood up and paced the floor for a good five minutes, wondering what the hell she could do with the rest of her day. Looking at a nearby lacryma clock, she noted with annoyance that it was barely past noon. She grumbled something unintelligible under her breath and then sat back down on her couch. She could work on her novel, like she'd told Levy she was going to do, but she didn't think she could concentrate enough in the current state she was in. She could go over to Natsu's house, she supposed, and demand answers of him. _No_. She would wait a little longer before taking such drastic measures.

She lay back on the couch and closed her eyes, deciding that she would just take a nap to help stave off the boredom. Not two minutes later a knock sounded on her door. She sat up and frowned. Well, it couldn't be Natsu, he never used the front door. He would just come in through her window.

She pushed to her feet and walked over to the door, pulling it open to reveal a blue cat.

"Hi, Happy." Lucy greeted with a small smile. "What are you doing here?" She glanced behind him for a moment. "Is Natsu with you?" She dared to be hopeful.

"No," Happy's whole face looked pitiful and sad, and Lucy immediately felt a strong urge to hug the feline. She held the door open wider.

"Come in," she said. Happy gave a small smile and stepped inside. Lucy shut the door behind him, and then followed him over to her sofa, where he sat on the arm, facing her.

"What's the matter, Happy?" She asked. "Where's Natsu?" Happy shrugged.

"I was hoping he was with you."

"You mean you haven't seen him?" Lucy asked in disbelief. When were those two ever not together?

"No!" Happy began to sob, tears leaking from his eyes. Lucy offered him some kleenex from the box she kept on her coffee table. She and Levy used them a lot when they watched chick flicks together, but the last few days they had served another purpose. "He won't tell me anything! He keeps saying he has some 'things' he needs to get done, but that I can't go."

"That's not like him." Lucy noted. She tried to think of a time when Natsu had left Happy out of anything, but nothing came to mind. Those two were best friends; they were always together. "He's been acting strange with me, too." Lucy admitted. "He's been avoiding me, I think."

"It makes me sad," Happy blubbered, then blew his nose loudly into a kleenex.

"Yeah, me too, Happy." _So Natsu wasn't just avoiding her, it appeared_. Why was he acting so strange? Maybe he was avoiding her so suddenly... Because someone came along. No, that couldn't be it. If Natsu had found someone else to be with, he wouldn't be avoiding Happy, too. "I just don't get why he's acting so strangely."

"I don't know," Happy agreed sadly. "But I hope he goes back to normal soon. I miss my best friend."

"I miss him, too."

The two sat in silence for a long time, both caught up in their own sorrow. Neither knew much about the dragon slayer's sudden change, however, they were content to just share in one another's pain for the time being. It was nice to know they weren't alone in their suffering.

By the time the little blue Exceed had left, it was early evening. They waved goodbye, and Happy promised to stop by tomorrow to wish her a happy birthday. Well, at least HE remembered, Lucy thought bitterly, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door closed, her stomach began to grumble loudly. _Oh, right_. She hadn't eaten anything all day.

She headed into her kitchen in search for something to eat. After several moments of searching, she finally decided on just a slice of leftover pizza from the night before. Or maybe it was two nights, she couldn't remember. Carrying the slice on a napkin, she went back to her couch. She nibbled on her slice, not really tasting it, just eating to stave off the grumbling in her stomach.

When she finished her pizza, she decided to finally work on her novel. She sat down at her desk and pulled a piece of blank paper in front of her, continuing on where she left off in her last chapter.

Three hours later, she had, surprisingly, managed to write two complete chapters, adding them to the steadily growing pile to her right and making sure the stack stayed neat and in line. She finally gave a smile. Writing those two chapters had been good for her. It gave her something to focus on besides her growing pain at the absense of her favorite dragon slayer.

It was dark outside by the time she lay down for bed, the full moon casting a beam of light right onto her bed. She turned onto her left side to look at it out her window. She had always appreciated the full moon. It was really something, she thought. She didn't know how long she had been watching the moon before her eyes finally drifted closed, and she fell asleep.

* * *

 _July 1, x793: Lucy_

Mira and Levy were both being a tad suspicious that morning. Lucy knew, based on their overly innocent actions, that they had something planned. It made her smile. Her friends truly cared about her, and never failed to do something special for her birthday.

Of course, the one person she WANTED to see that morning was nowhere to be found. Maybe he'd forgotten about her birthday this year. She knew he'd almost forgotten last year, that was how she'd ended up with a dragon plush toy, but she hadn't cared. He'd pulled through in the end. And she still slept with that dragon. Every night when HER dragon wasn't around. Which was too often this past week.

"Aw, Lu, what's with the sad face?" Levy asked with concern. The three of them were seated at Lucy's small kitchen table, drinking some tea that Lucy had made for them. They ahd already finished with breakfast, and were now simply chatting and sipping tea.

"No being sad on your birthday!" Mira ordered in a tone that wasn't at all commanding. Lucy sighed, fingering the thread bracelet on her left wrist.

"I'm not sad, you guys." She said, unconvincingly.

"Come on, Lu," Levy reached out and placed a hand on top of Lucy's, giving it a reassuring pat. "What's on your mind? Maybe we can help?"

She sighed again. "It's Natsu," she admitted. "He's been avoiding me lately and it's been really getting to me." Levy and Mira exchanged a knowing glance but Lucy didn't notice because her head was down. Mira bit back a smile, but Levy still looked concerned about her friend's obvious distress.

"Why do you think he's been avoiding you?" Levy asked carefully. Of course SHE knew the truth, but she had been sworn to secrecy. She wouldn't spoil the surprise, no matter how miserable Lucy looked.

"He hasn't been to my house for a whole week!" Lucy exclaimed. When she looked up there were tears swirling in her chocolate eyes. Levy's heart broke. She wished she could tell her friend that she had nothing to worry about. "And I've hardly seen him at all around the guild hall, and the few times I have seen him he's took one look at me and then ran in the opposite direction!"

"I wouldn't worry too much about Natsu," Mira said, adding a hand on top of Levy's. "He's just a strange boy, you know that! I'm sure he'll be around sometime today!"

"Yeah!" Levy agreed. "He wouldn't forget your birthday."

Lucy swiped at the tears on her face with her free hand. "You really think so?"

"Of course!" Mira grinned. "He cares about you, Lucy. You know he'd never try to hurt you." Levy nodded her agreement.

"Yeah, you're right." Lucy managed a smile. "Natsu wouldn't do that to me. There must be some other reason he's been acting so strangely." Lucy thought about that for a moment. What could her dragon slayer be up to... She remembered Happy coming by the night before. Natsu had been avoiding him, too... She narrowed her eyes. "Oh. I see. He IS up to something." The two women kept perfectly neutral expressions.

"What gives you that idea, Lu?" Levy asked, avoiding eye contact with the blonde.

"Well, he IS Natsu." Lucy rolled her eyes. The other two women relaxed slightly. "He's ALWAYS up to something. It makes sense, I guess. But I have no idea what he could possibly be doing that would make him avoid me like the plague. And it's not just me, either. Happy came by my apartment last night in tears because Natsu hasn't been around him, either."

"Happy, too?" Mira was genuinely surprised by this. She knew that Natsu had been avoiding Lucy for obvious reasons, but Happy, too?

Levy's eyes lit up with understanding. Natsu couldn't tell Happy about his plans, because Happy was the worst at keeping secrets. Still, she thought it was probably more suspicious this way. She was surprised her normally highly observant friend was acting so dense. _Maybe the dragon slayer was rubbing off on her_.

"So," Levy worked to keep the realization hidden."Are you almost ready to go, Lu?"

Lucy sighed, feeling suddenly tired. "I don't know, you guys. I know I said that we would go out, but I'm just not-"

"No," Levy held up a hand to stop her. "We're going out. It's your birthday, Lucy! You can't just hole up in your apartment all day."

"Exactly," Mira nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Lucy stood up and went to start cleaning up the dishes from breakfast, but Mira and Levy stopped her.

"Nope!" Mira said, grabbing the plates before Lucy could. "No cleaning up on your birthday! Go finish getting ready. We leave in ten minutes!"

"Ten?" Lucy glanced at her clock. 9:40. "Are we on a schedule or something?"

"Of course!" Mira grinned. "Now, scoot!"

Lucy had already showered before Mira and Levy showed up, so now she just had to change out of her cotton shorts and t-shirt into something more appropriate. She had no idea what the two girls had planned for her, so she just had to guess on what to wear. She flipped through clothes in her closet until she came across something she liked. She pulled off her shorts and t-shirt and slipped into the new outfit. She donned a pair of shoes, and then went into the bathroom to fix her hair. After a few unsuccessful attempts at styling, she gave up and just let the soft blonde waves fall across her shoulder blades. It would do.

When she walked back out into the living room, Mira and Levy were waiting for her with eager expressions.

"Ready?" Mira asked, practically jumping up and down in her obvious excitement. Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What were these two up to?

"Let's go!" Lucy said with forced enthusiasm, and the trio walked out the door.

* * *

 **A/N: End of Part 2! I know, I'm a horrible person! I not only make you wait for a second part, but now a third! *cue angry mob* Sorry, you guys! But I really wanted to show what Lucy was doing during all this "secret planning" of Natsu's. He's so dense, he doesn't even realize that he's been avoiding his girlfriend. Poor Lucy! Anyway, look out for Part 3!**

* * *

 ** _ThatOneFriend-3:_ Haha it doesn't have to make sense. Your excitement is all that matters to me! And thank you so much for that! Your support of this story means a lot!**

 ** _MystpopGIRL_ : Sorry you have to wait another day! But hopefully it'll be worth the wait! And I hope you liked getting a little sense of what Lucy was doing, even if it was kinda depressing haha. I'd be sad too if my hunky dragon slayer boyfriend wasn't around! XD**

 ** _Skylovekittycats2004_ : Aww thank you so much for that comment! It means a lot! I promise the next chapter will be a lot more fluffy and feature a lot more NALU! Stay tuned!**


	3. Part 3: The Surprise

**A/N: Part 3! And I swear this is the last one! That's why it's hella long. But I didn't want to make you guys wait for ANOTHER day, so I just stuffed it all into one document. XD I hope this last part was worth the wait! It took a long time to write, and I put a lot of thought and effort into this whole three-shot (triple-shot? tri-shot?). A shout out to my best friend, yellowchickadee, who helped me come up with an awesome ending. You're the best! Thanks for all your advise and suggestions/opinions!**

* * *

 _July 1, 9:45am - Natsu_

Natsu waited nervously at the predetermined meeting spot, clutching a a rolled up paper in one hand and a velvet box in the other. The latter he stuffed into the front pocket of his jeans, hoping Lucy wouldn't notice the bulge there. The paper he still held in a fist, trying not to crush the thing in his iron grip.

"Be cool, man." Gray said beside him, tone less than encouraging. "You're going to crush that paper, you know."

"What if she hates it?!" Natsu paced in front of Gray, feeling nauseas in his nervousness. Gray snorted.

"She's not going to hate it, Flame for Brains." He rolled his dark blue eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "Mira and Levy approved of this plan, didn't they?"

"Yeah, I guess." He reluctantly agreed. "But what if something goes wrong?!" He stopped pacing and looked at Gray with wide eyes. Gray's face softened, just slightly.

"What could possibly go wrong? Knowing Levy, she went through the plan for you at least a dozen times to make sure there wouldn't be any flaws."

"Yeah, you're right." He continued to pace again, not knowing what else to do while he waited for the girls to arrive. "I'm nervous." He finally admitted. Gray scoffed.

"That's obvious. Quit pacing before you make yourself sweat."

Natsu stopped in his tracks, not having thought of that possibility. "Ah, crap! You're right! What's taking them so long?" Natsu wondered aloud.

"Who knows, man. Girls take forever to get ready."

Natsu sighed. He unrolled the paper in his hands one last time, just to make sure that everything was correct, even though he had already checked ten times, no eleven now. Everything looked okay, as far as he could tell. He rolled it back up and stuffed it in his pocket next to the velvet box, as carefully as he could so as not to wrinkle it. Now he just had to wait for Lucy.

Ten minutes later he heard the familiar sounds of approaching footsteps. He nearly bolted right then and there out of terror. _He couldn't pull this off! There was no chance!_

"Man up, Charbrain," Gray patted him roughly on the back. "Show no fear. Women feed on that crap."

Natsu nodded, took a deep breath, and turned toward the footsteps.

* * *

 _9:50am - Lucy_

The threesome walked through town at a steady pace. Lucy still had no idea what her friends had planned for her, but hoped it didn't involve a lot of walkng. She was already starting to grow tired from the long trek through town. They continued walking well past the towns limits, toward the outskirts, though what lie beyond that Lucy didn't know.

"Where are we going?" She asked for the tenth time. "You're not taking me out here to murder me and then bury me, are you?" She honestly wouldn't put it past Mirajane the She-Devil Strauss. She was a little unpredictable at times. Not to mention terrifying.

Mira giggled but gave no comment. Levy's constant smile grew even wider, but she remained silent as well. Lucy sighed in defeat. She guessed they would arrive sooner or later, but hoped it wouldn't be much longer. She really didn't like surprises much, and wasn't sure she could handle the anticipation for much longer.

The cobblestone road gave way to dirt at the edge of town, but still the three kept walking, farther and farther. Lucy was growing increasingly annoyed by the minute, having no desire to walk around in the dirt in her sandals. She wished someone had told her to wear regular shoes instead.

"I thought we were going out?" Lucy asked once more.

"We are out!" Mira held her arms out for emphasis.

"Yeah, but I thought you meant like to a club or something." Lucy admitted, feeling foolish. Like the three of them had EVER gone to a club.

"At ten in the morning, Lu?" Levy asked with a giggle. Lucy's cheeks flushed. Right... It was still pretty early. It was also cooler this morning than it had been recently. Since it was the middle of summer, it tended to be more on the warmer side, even in the mornings, but today wasn't all that bad. A soft breeze blew about them as they walked, making the long walk a lot more bearable than it would have been other wise.

Eventually they reached a random grassy field that Lucy would swear was a mirage if not for the intoxicating smells of all the flowers around them.

"Where did this come from?" Lucy wondered aloud, frowning down at the scene before her. It couldn't be more than a mile in diameter, and the grass was so green that it looked fake. Her frown deepened. The flowers were lovely and colorful, reds and yellows and blues and oranges and even a few purple ones, but the colors were almost shockingly vivid, unlike any real flower she'd ever seen. And the smells, while definitely floral and pretty, were still a bit too much for her senses.

"I don't get it," she mused, stopping in the middle of the field, trying to figure out what was so off about it.

Mira and Levy exchanged a knowing glance behind Lucy's back and stifled giggles.

"Wait," Lucy turned back to her two friends, who were both grinning so big Lucy thought their faces might split in two. "Is this part of the big surprise?"

"Nope!" Mira grinned impossibly larger. "But _HE_ is!"

"Huh?" Lucy spun around so fast she nearly got whiplash. _He is... It couldn't be._.. She gasped, studying the figure across the field as if he, too, were a mirage. He wore a dark green t-shirt with a gold star over the left breast pocket, dark jeans and black shoes. A black cuff was around one wrist, and his white scarf hung loosely around his neck. Familiar pink locks swayed lightly in the breeze.

"Natsu?!"

* * *

 _10:10am - Natsu_

He watched her confusion with an amused grin. She was standing in the middle of the grassy field about a hundred feet or so in front of him. She was so close he could smell her. Her golden hair swayed in the light breeze, flowing behind her like a blanket of stars. She had left it loose today, and he was glad. He loved being able to run his fingers through those silky locks.

Natsu's gaze scanned down her gorgeous body, taking in every feature while she remained oblivous to his presence. Her outfit was simple, but stunning. She wore a light blue shirt that emphasized her large bust, and showed plenty of delicious cleavage, with thin white straps that tied around her neck. A white skirt with a matching blue line around the bottom, and white sandals with blue bows on the tops. Her long, slender legs were exposed, and for a second an image of him running his hands along them popped into his head. He quickly shook the thought away.

Natsu stayed perfectly still and quiet while she continued to look puzzled. He felt a grin creep onto his face. He knew that would be the perfect set up. She couldn't even tell that that whole grassy field was completely fake. He would have to thank Master Mavis later for lending him a hand.

Lucy's head lifted, eyes going wide at the sight of him.

"Natsu?!"

 _Finally_... He thought, when those gorgeous brown eyes found his at last. At first her face registered surprise, which was exactly what he wanted, then a huge grin lit her face up and she tore across the grassy field toward him. She threw herself into his arms and he wrapped her up in a hug, holding her tight and breathing in her familiar Lucy-scents. _Mmm. It had been too long without this girl._

"Natsu-" She choked out, squeezing herself against him like she was afraid to let go.

"Happy birthday, Luce." He whispered into her hair, and then kissed the side of her face.

"I missed you," she whispered, still refusing to let him go. He chuckled lightly into her skin.

"I'm here now." He murmured. Suddenly, before he could even react, she pulled back, balled a hand into a fist, and socked him right in the arm. "Ow! What was that-?"

"You better not ever do that to me again, Natsu Dragneel!" She whacked him again, and glared up at him. He blinked in surprise.

"What'd I do?!" She had just barely gotten there and she was already cross with him? He wasn't getting off to a good start.

"What an idiot..." Gray snorted.

Lucy took one look at Natsu's baffled expression and facepalmed. _What?!_

"Natsu, you're so dense sometimes, it hurts my brain." She muttered. Levy and Mira giggled where they stood watching the show. Gray laughed outright.

"Yeah, he is! Don't let him bull shit you, sis!"

Natsu scowled. "Shut up, Frost Bite! Who's side are you on?!"

"Hers, of course." Gray said with an eye roll. "Happy birthday, by the way." Gray smiled at her.

"You're supposed to be helping me look good!" Natsu shot back. Gray shrugged. Lucy giggled, making Natsu look back down at her in surprise again. _Now she was laughing at him?!_

"Natsu, shut up." Lucy's eyes focused in on his. Her gaze was intense, and for a moment he could barely breathe. He swallowed a lump in his throat and then nodded. She gave him a small smile. Was he off the hook? Or was there a "Lucy Kick" in his future?

"Geez, get a room." Gray grumbled, turning slightly away and turning a slight shade of pink.

"You get a room!" Natsu stuck his tongue out in Gray's direction. Lucy rolled her eyes, but Natsu didn't notice. "This is MY date anyway! So get lost!"

"Date?" Lucy asked, catching on to his word choice right away. He looked back down at her with a smile.

"Yeah! Your special birthday date!"

A smile grew on her face. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's a surprise, duh!" He booped her nose. "Come on! I'll show you!" He held out a hand and grinned down at her, excitement in his green eyes. After a moment, she grinned back and took his hand.

"Let's go!"

* * *

 _10:15am - Lucy_

They waved goodbye to the others, and Natsu led her toward a small path that led through some trees. It was a small forest, she guessed, with lots of towering pines creating pleasant shade for their walk. They walked hand in hand, but said little as they continued down the path. Lucy didn't know if she should be excited or terrified that Natsu was taking her deep into some forest. For one, there was the very real possibility of them getting lost. Then again, she supposed she could trust his dragon slayer nose to get them out if that were to happen. Mostly she was just insanely curious as to what sort of surprise Natsu had cooked up. She knew he was more of an action-type person than a material person, so she tried not to expect too much. Still, he had his moments where he truly surprised her.

"You know, Luce," Natsu began. "I've been meaning to tell you-" Natsu was suddenly cut off as something shot out of the trees, hidden in shadow. It leapt straight at Lucy, who jumped back with a shriek of fear. "Shit! Fire dragon iron fist!" Natsu balled up a flaming fist and met the thing head-on. It connected with a hard skull, and the thing went flying back into the forest, crashing through trees. Lucy stood there, frozen, eyes wide as saucers.

"Wh-What was that?" Lucy asked, pointing a shaky finger in the direction it had gone.

"Hell if I know." Natsu shrugged, as if nothing strange had happened at all. "But it smelled like Cana after a long day at the guild." He winked at her. She couldn't help it, she laughed, despite the uneasiness the weird creature had brought her.

"Let's just get out of here before we run into anything else." She suggested.

"Aye, sir!" He saluted her, then reached for her hand again. She rolled her eyes at his goofiness and entwined their fingers.

"So how much farther is this surprise?" She asked.

"You mean my awesome company isn't enough for you?" He looked at her and feigned offense. She snorted.

"You know that's not true. But these woods are creeping me out." She gave an involuntary shudder at just the thought. Now that they were a ways in, the light from the sun was growing fainter and fainter, until she could hardly see around her at all. The trees turned to shadowy silouettes, the path completely shrouded in darkness so that the only thing keeping her going straight was Natsu's guiding hand.

"It's not much farther, my love." He whispered. She opened her mouth to say something back, but then his words sunk into her brain.

 _My love._.. NEVER had he called her that before. She felt her cheeks heat, and hoped the darkness hid the color from him.

"Your heartbeat just increased." Natsu said, voice still low. Lucy's eyes widened. _Could he really hear that?_ "And your breathing is hitched..." He added.

"N-No it isn't!" She choked out, feeling hot as the flames Natsu summons.

"And you're body heat is rising..."

She didn't even realize that they were no longer walking until she felt his breath on her neck. She shivered and sucked in a sharp breath. It was still dark, so she could only make out his sillouette, but she could still _feel_ everything...

A warm hand slid into her hair, fingers tangling in the loose strands. His face lowered towards hers until his nose was pressed into her hair. He breathed in deeply.

"You," he whispered, voice breathy and just barely audible. "Burn brighter than any flame I could ever create..." She blew out a long breath that sounded more like faint moan. His fingers tightened in her hair, and he pulled her head back just enough so that he could press his lips to hers. Her eyes fluttered closed as fire coursed through her, setting her whole body ablaze. One of her hands gripped his shirt and pulled him closer, while the other was still held tightly in his. Then, just as quickly as he had pressed that fire against her lips, he pulled back, leaving her with a feeling of having a bucket of cold water dumped over her head. She shivered, this time from the lack of heat his lips provided.

"Let's go," he whispered, and gave her hand a light tug. She allowed herself to be pulled along, since she was too stunned for objection just then. Her lips still tingled from where his had been pressed against them. They had kissed a few times since they dating, but she could swear that each time was better than the last. She still felt slightly light headed from that brief kiss, and wondered if that was why Natsu had pulled away so suddenly.

They continued along the path at a leisurely pace, hands linked between them. Well, Lucy assumed they were still on a path, she wasn't even sure WHERE the hell they were anymore, but was putting her faith in Natsu's abilities to not get them lost in a creepy forest.

"Ow, Luce, what'd you kick me for?" Natsu complained out of nowhere. She rolled her eyes, thinking he was just being funny.

"I didn't kick you, Natsu. My feet are nowhere near you."

"Well, SOMEONE kicked me, and we're the only ones-" He stopped abruptly when something suddenly slammed into them, sending them flying several feet and into a nearby tree. Lucy cried out as her head made contact with rough bark.

"Luce!" Natsu pushed to his feet and charged at something. She assumed it was the same sort of creature as before, the one Natsu had jokingly said smelled like Cana, but upon closer inspection she noticed that this one looked more like an animal, while the previous creature had somewhat resembled a person. "Get lost, Yogi Bear!" Natsu exclaimed, but before his flaming fist could make contact, the thing side stepped and Natsu flew into another tree instead. The bear bore down on Lucy now, emitting a low growl. She growled back, thoroughly irritated that this thing was ruining her date!

"Watch it, buddy!" She shouted. She pulled out a key and held it out in front of her. "I need your help, Taurus!" The giant bull appeared just as the bear was about to attack, and slammed his axe down over it. It howled in rage and took off in the opposite direction. "Thanks, Taurus!"

"Miss Luuucy, how about that smooooch now?" He puckered his lips at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, buddy! Those lips are mine, you hear!" Natsu stepped in front of her and glared up at the bull.

"But, Miss Luuuucy-"

"Bye, Taurus!" She sent him back and he disappeared in a wink of light.

"He's such a pervert." Natsu said. Lucy laughed.

"Yeah, he is. Good thing you're here to defend my honor." She joked, booping his nose. He scoffed.

"I'm gonna teach that raw piece of steak a lesson the next time I see him!" Natsu raised a flaming fist, the light shining on his face to illuminate his evil smirk. "Char broiled." Lucy laughed again.

"You will do no such thing!" She whacked him playfully in the arm, or she tried to but he caught her fist before it made contact.

"Fine, I won't char broil him." Natsu agreed. "I'll just give him a little steam." He grinned. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Can we go now? Before anymore monsters pop up?"

"Fine, fine." He seized her hand once more and the pair continued on. At first it was a nice walk through a creepy, dark forest, but then things changed for the worst...

They walked for another five minutes before Lucy's foot got stuck in a mud puddle. She growled in annoyance, which only made Natsu laugh, which in turn made her whack him upside the head. Another twenty minutes went by before any light could be seen from the dark trees.

"Finally," Lucy grumbled. They had already seen a total of five monsters on their way through that damned forest. Lucy's shoe had gotten stuck in the mud and she had been unable to retrieve it. In her annoyance, she'd taken the other shoe off and thrown it at Natsu's head for making her go through the damn forest, so now her feet hurt from walking. Natsu had offered to carry her, but she was mad at him, even though none of this was really his fault.

When they finally reached the end of that seemingly endless stretch of trees, Lucy breathed a sigh of relief and prayed that Natsu had a short cut to get back or she was going to go really crazy.

"Come on, Luce," Natsu said, as they walked out into the bright sunlight once more. "This was an adventure!"

"I think we go on enough adventures as it is." She grumbled, still irritated. If he noticed her irritation he didn't show it, just kept on walking. She narrowed her eyes but followed dutifully along. The sooner they reached this "surprise" the sooner the walking would be over.

When they reached the base of a mountain, Lucy stopped. Natsu started to climb up the trail, but stopped when he no longer heard Lucy's footsteps. He turned toward her with confusion in his dark eyes.

"What's the matter, Luce?" He asked. She stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?!" She exclaimed. "First you make me walk through a dark forest full of monsters, and now you're going to make me hike up a mountain _WITH NO SHOES ON?!_ " She was practically shouting by the end of her rant, irriatation turning to anger. _He couldn't be serious._

"I'll carry you on my back if you want." He offered, not for the first time that day. It was nearing noon now, and the sun was growing hotter as the minutes ticked by. And even though she was dressed for warmer weather, she was still sweating by now. She was this close to turning right around and leaving. But... She honestly had no idea where they even were. And she didn't want to go through that forest by herself.

"Fine," she grumbled. He grinned widely at her and then crouched down. She climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood up and started up the mountain, carrying her effortlessly.

"Isn't that better?" He asked, giving her thigh a squeeze where his hands held them. She whacked him upside the head.

"This is all your fault, Natsu! I'm going to have blisters now!"

"That's because you're stubborn and wouldn't let me carry you!" He said with a roll of his eyes. "We're almost there."

"You said that an hour ago." She growled into his ear. He just laughed.

"Well, it's just up this hill." He gestured with his chin upward.

" _Hill?!_ " She exclaimed. "Natsu, that's not a hill. That's a mountain." Granted, it wasn't a particularly large mountain, but it was certainly no hill.

"Hill, mountain, same difference." He shrugged. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came to mind. _Moron_.

"Okay, close your eyes!" He instructed after another ten minutes or so of walking.

"Natsu-" She started to object. She was already feeling annoyed and angry. She didn't need anymore surprises today.

"Come on, Luce. Pllleeeeaaassse?" He begged. His tone was pleading, not mocking. She sighed heavily but finally agreed, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Okay, they're closed."

"Keep 'em that way until I say, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." She mumbled in agreement. Natsu started jogging now, making Lucy jump where she still lay against his back. She held on tighter so she wouldn't fall off.

"Okay... Ready, Luce?" He asked, excitement in his tone. And despite her annoyance over this ridiculous "date," his excitement was contageous, and she found herself smiling.

"Ready."

* * *

 _Around Noon - Natsu_

As they neared the top of the mountain, Natsu started to grow nervous again. He wasn't doing a very good job keeping her happy. He'd thought the walk through the forest would be romantic, but all he'd succeeded in doing was making Lucy more and more angry with him. He could feel the slight tremor of rage in her body as he carried her and wished he could do something. But he didn't have any clue what would help his case now. He only hoped that she would like his surprise enough to not murder him later.

When they finally reached the top of the mountain, he paused. He was nervous, but excitement was finally starting to sink in. She might be mad now, but surely this would at least make her smile. He took a quick glance around, everything looked good.

"Okay... Ready, Luce?" He asked, putting as much enthusiaum into the words as he could. This was it.

"Ready." She said, and he felt her lips curl into a smile where her face was pressed against his neck. He grinned, and then gently placed her on her feet. He guided her forward by her shoulders a few feet and then stepped back so he could watch her reaction.

"Open your eyes."

She did, soft eyelids fluttering open to reveal gorgeous brown eyes. She took a look around, and then her eyes went wide.

"Natsu," the word was a choked whisper. She stepped forward a few feet to examine the scene in further detail. They were standing atop a mountain that hovered just on the edges of Magnolia. It overlooked a huge valley with flowing rivers and green for miles. Colorful flowers dotted the landscape below, along with several fruit trees.

On the mountain before them, Natsu had laid out a blanket of red and gold thread, little dragons and stars were embroidered throughout, each representing a piece of them. On the blanket sat a picnic basket filled with sandwiches, fruits, and chocolates, and a pitcher of lemonade (his friends had helped him out by bringing the basket up for him while he and Lucy walked through the forest. Natsu had instructed them to ask for Happy's help, and was pleased to see that his friend had been willing to lend his wings, even though Natsu hadn't let him in on the plan). Off to the side, was a pair of sneakers for Lucy that Natsu had meant to leave at the BOTTOM of the mountain, but he couldn't do anything about that now. At least she wouldn't have to walk back down barefoot.

To the left of the blanket a flag was stuck into the ground, swaying lightly in the wind. On it, in bright blue lettering, was Lucy's name, and someone (certainly not Natsu) had painted some yellow stars around the border.

Natsu pulled out the paper from his pocket and nervously recited the words written there (courtesy of Levy who had way better handwriting than he did). "Lucy," he began. She turned to face him, eyes meeting his. " _'I wrote your name in the sky, but the wind blew it away. I wrote your name in the sand, but the waves washed it away... I wrote your name in my heart, and forever it will stay._ '" He finished the poem and waited for her response.

"Natsu..." Tears sparkled in her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. "Did you write that?"

"Nah," he chuckled nervously. "Levy found it for me from some cheesy love book. But I liked it. It sounded like you." He dared a smile. Were the tears he saw in her eyes because she liked it, or because she didn't?

Lucy glanced back at the set up he had made for her. "But, you did all of this?" She gestured around them.

"Yeah! I mean, I had some help, but the whole plan was my idea." He shifted on his feet waiting for her to say something. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to hers, meeting his lips with her own.

"I love it, Natsu." She said once they had broken their kiss. She smiled so brightly that it almost brought tears to his eyes. _She was so beautiful..._

"There's... One more thing." He said. She looked surprised.

"Really?"

He nodded and reached into his pocket for the velvet box.

"Open your hand." He instructed. She opened her hand palm up between them, and he placed the box in her palm. She gasped, eyes widening.

"Natsu, what is-"

"Just open it." He gestured at the box with eager anticipation. She carefully lifted the lid... And frowned.

"Um... Natsu, it's empty." She turned to box around to face him. He grinned.

"I know." He said, unconcerned. "What I have for you couldn't fit in that box. It was merely for show." He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the blanket. They sat down and Natsu took a deep breath before sheepishly saying the next words. "I... Found this mountain a few months ago, when I went on that job with Happy and Erza... And, I thought this was the most beautiful spot in Magnolia." He locked gazes with her so she could see how sincere he was being, even if he thought his face couldn't possibly get any redder from embarrassment. "I bought this mountain for you, Luce. The most beautiful view of Magnolia, for the most beautiful woman I know."

Lucy sucked in a sharp breath at his words, at this gesture. "Y-You bought a _mountain_?" She stammered out after a moment of shock.

"Yeah..." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm not so good at giving gifts, if that wasn't perfectly obvious from my past attempts..." He gestured down at the thread bracelet on her left wrist, that she still wore to this day. "I guess I'm better with actions. And I thought... This could be our place now. Our special place that no one else knows about."

"You're so weird," she said with a giggle. She sniffled as tears continued to spill down her cheeks.

"Lucy," he squeezed her hand, then swallowed the huge lump in his throat. "I have to tell you something."

"Wh-What is it?" Her voice was barely audible, but he heard it. Her chocolate eyes flicked back and forth between his with such intensity. He almost lost his nerve then, for fear of what she might say back. But he couldn't hold it in any longer. And what better day to tell her than on her birthday?

"Lucy... I love you." He whispered. Her eyes widened a fraction. "You've always been my best friend," he continued. "But I realized, one year ago to be exact, that I've always been _IN-LOVE_ with you too. YOU are my flame, Lucy. Happy birthday." He tried to smile, but he was too damn nervous now! He really hoped she didn't reject him now. He had never been so cheesy in his life. He felt like one of those romance novels Lucy and Levy were always reading. _Did women really like this cheesy crap?_

Lucy stared at him with stunned eyes for an endless moment, until he started to think that she really would reject him. But then a face-splitting grin lifted her lips and she threw herself into his arms once more, knocking him onto his back on the blanket.

"I love you, too, Natsu. And I always have." Her words made him gasp, even though they had been the very ones he had said to her moments ago. _She loved him back._.. He felt tears prick at his eyes. "Thank you, Natsu. This has been the best birthday ever."

"Really?" He asked with a grin. "Even the romantic walk through the forest?"

"Okay, I could have done without that part." She laughed, then settled herself in against his chest, head right over his heart. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, kissing the top her head. "But it was worth it. I'm so glad I met you, Natsu." She whispered into his chest. He felt an involuntary shudder run through him. He smiled. _This girl_... He couldn't ask for a better companion, a better partner. She was everything to him. His flame in the dark. His love. His world. And in that moment, as the two lie there together under the afternoon sun, atop a mountain he had bought for her, and hearing those words echo through his head, he knew he would never let her go. _Forever starts now._

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 **A/N: Well, guys, this little story is already at it's end! I hope you all liked this! Thank you so much for all your favorites/follows/reviews! You are all so encouraging! That's why I wanted to write something extra special, just for you. Thank you again! And keep your eyes opened for more scenes/stories in the future! I love you all!**

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 ** _FireShifter_ : I know, she's so sad! But who wouldn't be? She doesn't know why her boyfriend isn't around. Hopefully this made it up to her XD And Happy, too! He better apologize to his best friend!**

 ** _hi-i'm-lucy:_ Aww your comment makes me so happy! Thank you for those kind words! I'm so glad you are enjoying this little story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.**


	4. Part 4: Epilogue

**A/N: Hello! So, I decided to do an Epilogue for those of you who were wanting a little more out of this story. I am here to please, my good friends *bows grandly* Anyway! This scene takes place one year later, as the intro line says, BUT, as an added bonus for those of you who also followed along with my Thanksgiving special (I recognized a few of you XD), this also coincides with that one as well. But don't worry, those of you who wanted more "Jerza," I will add that as an epilogue to "** _ **A Fairy Tail Thanksgiving**_ **." Now, after another painfully looooooong author's note… I give you an Epilogue!**

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 **Nalu: A Birthday Surprise**

 **Part 4: Epilogue**

 **By: xSteleAliniax**

 **Beta'd By: _SamGreg_**

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Lucy and Natsu lay under a blanket of stars, cool night air brushing against them like the gentlest of caresses. They were back on their mountain, the one Natsu had given her for her birthday exactly one year ago today. The pair came here often, and liked having a special place that was all their own. Natsu lay on his back on the red and gold thread blanket, as Lucy rested against his chest. A soft sigh sounded from the blonde's lips as a strong arm tightened around her slim waist. She snuggled closer, breathing in his familiar scent. She felt his nose nuzzle against her hair, making her laugh softly.

"I love this place," Lucy whispered. It was late, late enough that the sun had long since set, and the moon had taken its place high in the sky, casting a beacon of light upon them. The birds were silent, resting in their homes up in the trees down below. Occasionally a wolf would howl in the distance. The wind was soft, and had no sound. Not even the rustling of leaves could be heard. It was tranquil, peaceful.

Natsu chuckled, the sound reverberating through his chest. "You're so easy." He commented with a fond smile. She pulled back so that she leaned over him, then poked him in the nose with a finger, eyes narrowed.

"Don't say it like that! It sounds bad!" She chastised. His lips spread into an unconcerned grin, a smirk, maybe.

"It's the truth, you're totally easy!" He grinned. She growled.

"You're the easy one!" She stuck her tongue out at him childishly. His eyes narrowed for a moment, before a devious smirk settled onto his lips. Lucy's eyes widened a fraction at the look in his eyes. She gulped.

"Is that so?" He challenged. She nodded, as she was unable to form words just then. Natsu's smirk grew, and he reached out and gripped her arms with his large hands before flipping her onto her back so that he now hovered over her. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and crushed his lips to hers. Her eyelids fluttered closed as a shudder went through her entire body. She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, fingers sliding into his hair. He pushed against her, emitting a soft moan from her slightly parted lips. His hand, hot as fire, slid up her shirt, lightly caressing the bare skin there. She shuddered again and thought, _this is it. This is the moment._

He pulled back and smirked at her, removing his hand and lying back beside her. She blinked in confusion as her boiling flesh cooled down. The place where his hand had just been still burned, but the rest of her felt suddenly cold. Her lips tingled, where only a moment ago his had touched them.

She scowled and let out a low growl. Natsu chuckled and peeked over at her. Her cheeks were flushed, whether that be from embarrassment or anger he couldn't say. Her golden hair fell around her like a halo, giving her an angelic beauty, even if she wore a terrifying death glare. He grinned toothily at her expression.

"See, Luce? I told you you're easy!"

" _Natsu_ ," her tone held a warning note to it. He watched her, as her deadly scowl slowly shifted into an expression of pain. His smirk faded. Her eyes watered, her delicate lips quivered. Natsu felt his blood run cold. He slid closer to her and wrapped her up in an embrace, holding her tight against his chest.

"Crap, I'm sorry, Lucy! Don't cry!" He squeezed her trembling body. "You know I hate it when you cry!"

"I know,"

He froze. Her tone was off. It wasn't the pained tone he had been expecting. It sounded… _Amused_. He pulled back just enough to look at her. She was grinning widely, and he could now see that her shaking was coming from barely contained laughter, rather than sobs. She booped his nose.

"I told you, Natsu, _you're_ the easy one." She winked. He scowled.

"Fine, you win." He conceded. "But you cheated! You women and your tears." He lay back with a huff. Lucy laughed at the pitiful expression he wore.

"Like you were completely fair, Natsu." She rolled her eyes before snuggling back against his chest. "I wish we could stay here forever." She whispered a moment later.

"I'll build you a house up here!" He announced in a loud tone. She snorted a laugh. "What? You don't think I can?"

"Um…" She didn't think Natsu could really build things. Mostly he just destroyed them. "Maybe?" She finished, unconvincingly.

"That's mean!" He exclaimed. "First you call me easy,"

"Actually, that was you." She pointed out. He continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"Then you doubt my carpentry skills!" He let out a dramatic huff of breath. Lucy rolled her eyes and suppressed a laugh.

"Fine, Natsu. If you want to build us a house-"

"Us?" He interjected in a low tone. She broke off abruptly, biting her lip. Her cheeks reddened as she realized what she had just implied.

"I mean…" _What did she mean_? She and Natsu had only been dating for a little over a year now, it was way too early to be thinking about those kinds of things!Sure, they had been friends for a lot longer, but it wasn't the same. Once they had officially gotten together as a couple, things had changed between them, not much, but enough that it made a difference.

 _It's the Secret Santa party all over again, giving me indecent thoughts!_

She stiffened against him.

He shifted so that he was looking down at her, though she kept her face down, avoiding his gaze. "What's wrong, Luce? You got quiet all of a sudden."

"Nothing, Natsu." She composed herself enough to tilt her face up, then gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. He narrowed his eyes at her, the gesture making his eyes look even darker than usual.

" _Liar_."

The accusation made her gasp in surprise. She thought she was decent at hiding her emotions from Natsu, but she guessed that after you knew someone as long as she and Natsu had, there probably wasn't any place to hide anymore.

Since she couldn't hide her emotions, she instead hid her face. She sat up and tilted her head so that the hair she had worked so hard to grow out, fell forward to conceal her features from him.

"You worry too much, Natsu." She said, and managed something that almost resembled a laugh.

Almost.

"Lucy," Natsu sighed as if in exhaustion. She heard the fabric of the blanket shuffling under him as he sat up, but when he went to wrap his arms around her, she shrugged out of his touch. When he spoke again she could clearly hear the hurt in his words. "Why are you upset with me?"

"It's not you, okay?" She snapped, the words coming out harsher than she meant for them to. She sighed and glanced over her shoulder at him. His eyes were clouded over with some emotion she couldn't quite make out. "I'm sorry, Natsu. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You were fine a minute ago," He said, voice even, flat. She flinched at the coldness of it.

"Natsu," she turned so that she now faced him, then wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his hair. "I'm sorry." She whispered. He returned the embrace, holding her tightly against him. The position proved to be a little uncomfortable, so she shifted so that she straddled his lap, then wrapped her arms around his tighter. Natsu gave a shudder, and she pulled back slightly to look at him.

"I'm an idiot," he said, voice barely above a whisper. Her chocolate eyes widened. "I know that. Someone tells me that at least once a day." He added dryly. She choked on a laugh, then blinked back tears. "But, I still know _you_ , Lucy. I know you better than anyone. You're my best friend, my partner, _my love_ …" He cupped her face in his hand, fingertips brushing against the soft skin there.

"So, I know when something is up." He continued, as his finger traced the shape of her lips. Her eyelids fluttered closed as a soft sigh blew through her slightly parted lips. "Let me make it right." He whispered. She could feel his breath on her mouth, and tilted her face up to meet his lips. His pressed against hers, softly, like the barest brushing of butterfly's wings. She shivered, and tangled her fingers in his hair.

"Lucy," he breathed against her lips. " _Marry me_."

Her eyelids shot open at once, and she pulled back in shock. She stared at him in open-mouthed disbelief for a moment.

"Wh-What did you just say?" She stammered out. His eyes held hers with determination.

"Remember at Thanksgiving," he began in a low tone, "when Erza and Jellal proposed to each other?"

"Um, yeah?" _Where is he going with this?_

"It got me thinking…" He paused to brush some hair out of her eyes, tucking it in place behind her ear. His hand lingered there, fingers twining in the golden strands. "This place, it's our perfect little hideout, a place far removed from all the mess going on in the real world. It's a world all its own, you know?" She nodded, unable to form words at the moment. "I thought about making some grand declaration in front of everyone at the Christmas party. Remember the Secret Santa party?" He grinned, making her blush at the memory. She nodded again.

"I remember," she whispered. _Oh, yes. I remember quite vividly._

"That would have been the perfect time to do something big and showy, like Erza did with Jellal." He rolled his eyes, remembering how their friend had boldly commanded that her partner marry her. Lucy couldn't fight back the smile the memory brought forth. "Anyway, that just didn't feel right for us. I talked to Levy about it-"

"You asked Levy for advice?" She cut in.

"Well, yeah! I had to make sure I did everything right!" He blew out a breath. "And obviously, I'm screwing everything up, as always… That wasn't the point. The point was, that I asked Levy if you would prefer a public proposal, or a private one. And she and I both agreed that you would feel much more comfortable in private."

"You're rambling," she accused in a whisper. His lips lifted into a smile.

"Yeah, sorry… I just meant that there was no more perfect place than this, to ask you to be mine forever." He held her waist firmly with one hand and leaned back to pull the picnic basket closer before rummaging through it. His hand came out with a velvet box, identical to the empty one she had received last year. He opened it, then turned it to face her. A gold ring sat inside, with a delicate diamond on top, and two smaller ones on either side. Lucy's eyes widened as she stared at the ring, and for a moment she forgot to even breathe. It wasn't what she had expected at all. She didn't really know what she had been expecting, but this definitely wasn't it.

"Um…" Natsu began, sounding uncomfortable. "Levy might have helped me pick out the ring…"

She blew out the breath she had been holding in a light chuckle, then sniffled at tears sprung to her eyes.

"It's beautiful, Natsu." She looked back up at him as tears spilled down her cheeks. He waggled the box in front of her with an expectant expression.

"Sooo….?" He raised an eyebrow. She spluttered a laugh, nodding.

"Of course I'll marry you, Natsu." She grinned and wiped the tears from her eyes before holding out her left hand, palm down. Natsu frowned.

"You want me to kiss your hand or something?" He asked. She resisted the urge to smack him. Instead, she rolled her eyes and gestured at the box with the ring still sitting inside.

"You're supposed to put it on for me." She told him. His lips made an "O" and he pulled the ring out, slipping it onto her index finger. She sighed. "Natsu, you're supposed to put it on the ring finger!"

"Any finger with a ring on it can be a 'ring finger!'" He insisted. Lucy laughed. She couldn't entirely fault his logic. She waggled the appropriate finger.

"This one is reserved solely for engagement and wedding rings." She explained. "That's why it's called the 'ring finger.'"

"That doesn't make any sense," he protested, but he slid the ring off of her index finger and replaced it on her ring finger before bringing her hand up to his lips and smooching the spot where the ring now sat. "Now, you're mine." He growled, the sound coming from deep in his throat. Lucy couldn't decide if she wanted to blush or laugh.

"Wasn't I always yours?" She smirked and his eyes narrowed in response. His hand tightened where it still held her waist, pulling her closer and making her gasp.

"Yeah," he agreed, voice still low and throaty, eyes smoldering and scorching with heat. "But now it's official, and you can't get out of it once you say 'I do.'"

"Good thing I haven't said it yet then." She sassed. He gave a low growl before tackling her onto her back.

"You will." He vowed, then crushed his lips against hers once more. She lifted her hands to his chest to shove him off, but once her hands came in contact with his blazing skin, she was powerless to do anything of the sort. Her fingers curled into him, nails digging into his flesh. He pushed against her in response, making her moan low and repeat her actions. Her body was on fire, as it always was when the two had a particularly heated make-out session, but somehow this was even hotter than usual. Her blood boiled within her at the feel of his member pressing against her.

She wrapped her legs around his back, pulling him even closer, and earning a low groan in reply. He deepened the kiss, licking her lips for entrance. Their tongues battled for dominance, until Lucy finally relented and pulled back with a gasp for air.

Natsu immediately used the opportunity to clamp onto her jaw next, teeth grazing the skin there.

Lucy slid her hands up his chest and into his hair, fingering the soft locks as he continued to nip at her neck.

When his hand moved up her skirt and onto her stomach, dangerously close to her breasts, a sudden realization came upon her like a bucket of ice water.

"W-Wait!" She put her hands on his chest and gave a light push. "Y-You can't claim me yet!" Lucy stammered out, holding back the moan that threatened to pour from her slightly parted lips. Natsu pulled back to stare at her for a moment before realization of his own flashed across his eyes. He smirked.

"No one said anything about _that_." He said, pressing himself against her and forcing out the moan she had tried so hard to keep in. "You're such a pervert, Luce." He added seriously. She gaped at him for a minute, and then smacked his chest, hard.

"Idiot! I am not!"

"Yeah, you are!" He insisted. "You're a gutter brain!" He stuck his tongue out at her. She glowered.

"Well, it's not my fault when you're—doing _that_ sort of thing to me!" She flushed a furious shade of red at the words. Again, Natsu smirked.

"What sort of thing?" He asked innocently as his hand moved up and down her thigh, fingers dancing across the bare skin there.

" _THAT_ sort of thing," she whispered. Their eyes locked, and for a moment she thought he might try to kiss her again, and if he did she didn't know if she could push him away a second time. But after a moment his fingers ceased their teasing dance, pulling back to boop her nose. He quirked a grin.

"Alright, Luce." He sat back, helping her to sit up as well, and respectfully looked away while she adjusted her dress. Once that task was done, Lucy lay against his shoulder before holding up her hand to gaze at her ring. It sparkled in the moonlight. Lucy smiled contentedly.

"I wonder what our friends will say," Lucy mused, turning her hand to get different angles on her ring.

"Probably that we're copy-cats." Natsu said with a roll of his eyes. Lucy snorted a laugh.

"I don't care if we are, I'm happy." She tilted her head to grin up at him and got a huge grin in return.

"Yeah, you're right, Luce," He agreed, kissing the top of her head. He wrapped an arm around her and held her closely. "I'm happy, too. Nothing else matters,"

"Because it's always more fun when we're together!" She finished with a laugh. He chuckled and nuzzled her hair.

"I love you, Lucy."

"I love you, too, Natsu. Always,"

"And forever."

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 **A/N: That was suuuuuch a cheesy ending *laughs* Still, Nalu! XD What did you guys think of this epilogue? I know it wasn't AMAZINGLY PERFECT, but still cute, right?! I really wanted to do a sort of epilogue chapter for you guys, but it's been crazy lately so I haven't been doing as much writing as I was there for awhile. I THINK I'm starting to get back into the groove of things, though, so yay!**

 **A/N 2: BTW, if you haven't already heard, I'm doing a co-write with the amazingly talented _Grizzly98_. We are doing a twelve-part Christmas special, a Nalu story, as we both are total Nalu fanatics! XD Anyway, the first chapter drops December first (By the time you read this it should be December 5th already), and then a new chapter will be posted every other day. All chapters will go up on Grizz's account, so make sure you go and check her out and give us a follow! The story will be titled, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Bye for now!**


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